How Will I Know
Disclaimer: Can you believe it? Me neither. I got to talk to another Anime geek! Yay me! It's always fun to run into another one of us. He didn't own InuYasha either. Of course, I think he liked Naruto better than InuYasha. Oh well.
Chapter 9: InuYasha's EncounterInuYasha was continuing his frantic search for Kagome. No one who saw him would think he was searching for anything, much less frantically. He walked along swiftly, but one could attribute that to his long legs; muscular as well, but one couldn't tell that from looking at him either. In fact his whole body was muscular. Nobody knew that except for people who had seen him without his Haiori and yukata (a/n- saw 'yukata' in a manga… guessing it means shirt… Sango said it while referring to Miroku and how she thought he'd come to comfort her to get inside it, then he said 'well if that's what you wanted you should've told me' and he put his hand on her chest… lol the smack echoed off the mountains…).
A gentle breeze blew across the path. After it passed, InuYasha's eyes widened in surprise and worry. He doubled his pace without seeming to jog, if that was possible. Suddenly, he came to a halt and looked behind him. He slipped a small bottle out of his haiori, and studied the seven pink gem shards inside it. His ear twitched and flicked backwards, and he quickly put away the bottle. He turned again, and saw his friends running up behind him, yelling to wait. He was about to complain about their slowness, when a sudden aura approached from behind his friends. They didn't so much as look up; as if they didn't notice it. InuYasha watched as a white floating dragon-serpent appeared, followed by three more. InuYasha's face contorted into confusion. Now his friends noticed.
The scent that came off of those was none other than his beloved dead, Kikyo. The dragons passed within inches of InuYasha, when they had gone far over his friend's heads. InuYasha looked after the soul collectors. He looked back at his friends, trying to decide; Sango and Shippou were glaring at him now; warning, threatening, reminding. Miroku looked at him quizzically, trying to decipher his expression and his choice at a time like this. Would InuYasha go after Kikyo, who obviously was summoning him (The soul collectors had begun to weave down the path, motioning to follow) or would he go after Kagome, in Kagura's possession? InuYasha looked pained as he glanced from one to the other. His friends pulled up to him, and Sango and Shippou began voicing their discouragement for Kikyo, and how he should be loyal.
InuYasha cursed under his breath, and promptly sat down, in the middle of the path, to think. This sent Sango into a fit.
"Fine then, if you'll be so difficult, WE will be on our way to save Kagome! Join us when you will! I just hope for Kagome's sake that you don't drag that priestess with you!" Kirara caught on to Sango's sudden anger, and transformed, snarling. Sango jumped on, followed by Miroku and Shippou.
"Let's go, Kirara." Sango said, spite in her voice. Kagome was her friend, and if InuYasha was going to be difficult, that wasn't going to stop her from rescuing Kagome! What did InuYasha think Kagura was doing, anyway? Having a tea party and apologizing for everything?
As Sango continued her rage, Miroku and Shippou looked nervously from her to each other. They didn't dare provoke Sango's anger upon themselves.
InuYasha sat in the path. A young merchant traveling the path came upon him with his cart pulled by a horse.
"Hey! What do you think you're doing blocking traffic like that!" InuYasha turned and glared. The traveler noticed his ears for the fist time. "Demon! It's a demon! Come quick, everybody! There's a---." The traveler was cut off as InuYasha approached, seeming taller with each step, menacing, snarling. "Never mind!" The man choked out. InuYasha went back to the middle of the path and sat down. The traveler glanced at him cautiously as he ran his horse by on the side, going halfway off the path. InuYasha thought.
Kagome's been kidnapped by Kagura. She can hold out for a little, right? But I must protect her… I failed for Kikyo; I won't do the same for Kagome! But what if Kikyo's in trouble? Kagome is only with Kagura, Kikyo might be with Naraku! Besides, Miroku and Sango are more than a match for Kagura…she won't be in a cave again. I have the jewel shards, so Kagome can't be the target, not for long. She'll be ok. But she was injured…He whined. "I just hope for Kagome's sake you don't drag that priestess with you!" Sango's words echoed in his head. Kagome…she wouldn't mind, right? When Naraku killed Kikyo for the second time, she told me to go and look for her. InuYasha stood up, not willing to think anymore. I'm coming, Kikyo!
Kagome sat in a large room, her feet chained to the floor by impossibly large chains. Her ankles had bruises from trying to simply move them. Naraku isn't taking any chances… she thought bitterly. Poor Kagura… she'd been shoved aside, and when Kagome had refused to take her out, Naraku had made Kagura knock out Kagome. "Sorry," Kagura had whispered, and then everything went black. Kagome had woken up in the middle of this large room, securely chained by her feet, and her hands were tied in such a way that she couldn't pull them even a foot apart, no where near far apart enough to draw a bow. She sat now, huddled in the middle, after having walked around the room to the best of her ability. There was a window; not see-through of course. There was one door, and the walls were made of wood. She seemed to be in a spare room of a large castle. As someone walked by the other side of the door, they seemed to pass over this room without as much as a glance, or whisper. It was as if this room didn't exist. Her bow was lying on a table, about five feet out her reach and up against a wall. All of her clothes were on, and she felt healthy… as healthy as she last remembered, anyway. She wasn't tired, or stiff… that was weird. Oh well… she sighed.
She looked up when she felt something approaching. A door slid open, and there appeared Naraku. Kagome stood and faced him bravely, her wound almost healed, still sore. Questions ran through her head, one emerging first.
"How long have I been here?" Naraku looked at her, faking surprise at her determination and lack of fear.
"Now, Kagome, is that any way to treat someone who's brought you a gift?"
"Whatever you have, I don't want it!" Kagome balked and folded her arms, snagging her wrists on the tie.
"Oh, but are you sure?" Naraku pulled out a crystal-looking orb. He held it in the air, and it levitated over to Kagome. Kagome looked away, worried it was dangerous. "It won't kill you, or hypnotize you. Just look. I'm sure you'll like what you see." Naraku said. He turned and left. The orb hovered a foot above the ground, in front of Kagome. She cautiously turned toward it. She gasped when she saw InuYasha. He was walking swiftly along a path. Kagome kneeled in front of it.
InuYasha paused and pulled out the case of the jewel shards. Kagome gasped as she watched, and became entranced. InuYasha! I'd tell you to sit… you thief! I can't believe you stole the jewel shards! Kagome continued watching, and saw Miroku and Sango running up to InuYasha. She saw Kikyo's soul collectors pass, and InuYasha falter. She watched in sadness as Sango threw a fit and flew off on Kirara. It turned to fear as InuYasha snarled at the harmless traveler, then anger when InuYasha took off the wrong way, going to see Kikyo.
Kagome watched, absolutely enthralled that she was watching what InuYasha was doing right now. He bounded through trees, and it switched to InuYasha's view. Kagome could hear his thoughts, and bit her lip, tears welling in her eyes. He was thinking about Kikyo… when she was in such a predicament as this! Her sorrow turned to silent anger, then numbness as she watched, determined to observe everything.
InuYasha came upon a clearing in the forest. Kikyo was standing opposite him. InuYasha's thoughts stopped.
"Kikyo." Kagome heard as clearly as if she was there. Her heart gave a painful thud as it made up for the missed beat.
"Aren't you in trouble?" InuYasha asked, confused.
"No, I'm alright. I just wanted to talk to you. Have you considered coming to hell with me?"
InuYasha's thoughts resumed. I haven't considered at all… I didn't think she would still want me to go with her. I can't leave Kagome, though, so no. I owe her that much.
Great! Kagome fumed. He cares enough to not want to go to hell.
"No, Kikyo, I'm sorry. I can't go with you. I don't want to go." InuYasha almost whined.
Kikyo stood still, considering.
"It's that girl, isn't it?" She guessed finally. "You can't leave her either."
"Her name's Kagome." InuYasha said, just loud enough for Kikyo to hear.
"Kagome? Well, then, would you go to hell with her?"
"She isn't going there."
"Are you so sure? I was a priestess once, like she is now. Look what I have become."
"Kikyo, you know what happened. It was Naraku! He tore us apart. If it hadn't been for him…" InuYasha stopped, starting to think, but was cut off.
"If it hadn't been for Naraku, what do you suppose would have happened?" InuYasha shook his head, as if to clear away that image.
"Kikyo…"
Kagome was watching now, giving so much of her attention to the crystal orb that she didn't notice an injured Kagura enter the room.
InuYasha walked to the center of the clearing. Kikyo came forward to meet him, and began to hug him. InuYasha looked surprised, and, haltingly, almost unwillingly returned the hug. Kikyo looked up, and began to inch her face closer to InuYasha's.
"No, InuYasha…" Kagome whispered.
N… The orb hummed InuYasha's last thought before his lips met Kikyo's. Kagome stood angrily, tears silently running down her face. "InuYasha!" Kagome yelled. She watched sadly, trying to back up, then tripping to the floor as the chains surprised her.
"InuYasha!" Naraku heard the cry echo through the castle. He grinned.
"She must have gotten the orb to show her that half-breed. Dm her, I can't seem to get it working." He kept grinning as he planned what was in store for her.
"InuYasha!" InuYasha heard as if it had been his own thought. He opened his eyes and saw Kikyo, not the one he had heard. That wasn't right.
"Kikyo! Why did you kiss me?" InuYasha half-shouted. Kagome tried to clear her vision. InuYasha backed away a step, and Kikyo watched him.
"Kikyo…" InuYasha said when her eyes appeared to show sadness, hurt. He reached out to hug her again. He pulled her into his stone grip, and hugged her to him.
"I can't do this anymore! Kikyo, I love-"
The orb shattered. Kagome stood in the middle of the room, panting slightly with the effort she used to keep herself from bursting into tears. She faced the wall the orb had shattered against, and Kagura stood, aghast, behind her near the door. Kagome spun around, and saw Kagura for the first time.
"You're injured." Kagome spoke first, her voice wavering, even through all the trouble she was going top to keep herself level.
"I'm just here to bring you your food. Naraku wants you alive." Kagura placed a glass of water and a small plate of rice on the ground next to Kagome. She stared at the food blankly as Kagura stepped out, glancing over her shoulder before closing the door. Kagome heard a lock click. She collapsed to her knees, not holding back anymore.
How? How could he do this to me? After everything… I trusted him, and I thought… I thought he loved me. Maybe… He always thinks about Kikyo though! How could I compete with her? She can see the jewel shards, too, and I wasn't even supposed to be here. I'm not. I don't belong in the feudal era. I still love him…I'm sure of that much. But what about him? He just said he loved… he loves… no. I should just leave, go home, and leave everyone here. Kikyo can find the shards! As soon as it crossed her mind she felt bad. She couldn't just leave all her friends, no matter how painful it would be to stay around InuYasha. They were her friends. You don't just leave people like them. She felt as if she were developing a fever; the room was growing warmer. No… I must eat. I have to get stronger, so I can save myself. I can't just sit here while Sango and Miroku are looking for me. They're still looking for Kagura, probably headed to wherever I was before Naraku took me and Kagura.
Kagome put aside all her new knowledge. She felt like part of her was missing, but it might just be hunger. She suddenly got an idea, looking at the rice and water. She quickly ate everything, and stood, holding the rice bowl (a/n- it's like… a paper hot dog bowl, the disposable ones that fit one, maybe two hotdogs…. About a foot long, 4 inches wide… ). She put a chopstick through one end, and trudged over to her bow. She reached for it with her hand. She tapped one of the arrows, scooting it back farther. She reached out with the bowl, holding it by the chopstick. The arrow scooted off the table and onto the floor, easily within reach. She picked it up, dropping the bowl. It clattered, and she winced, hoping not to attract attention. When no one came, she picked up the arrow and sat down.
Kagome summoned her power until the arrow glowed. She jammed it down against her ankle cuffs, and, as she'd hoped, they opened. She took one and out it back around her ankle after jamming some extra rice in it. It clicked, barely. She pulled on it, and it opened again. She quickly stuffed the other one and stood up, free. I'll probably have to play prisoner for a little longer, so I can figure out how many times Kagura will come.
Well… not my most favorite chapter… I greatly dislike Kikyo. Stupid girl... what will it take to kill her? Naraku impersonating InuYasha, or stabbing her through the chest with his new body, or shoving her off that cliff… I mean, come on... it was a poison river! Ah well, hope it wasn't too depressing. Ekonika (R+R!)